Japanese Religious History
Religion in Tokugawa and Meiji Japan
An overview of the religious trends that developed during the Tokugawa and Meiji periods of Japan.
The many religious traditions in Japan have coexisted throughout history in large part because of the ability of the Japanese people to assimilate and allow for the interaction of new ideas and belief systems. While these differing traditions indeed have a long history of coexistence among the Japanese people, that is not to say that certain traditions haven’t waxed and waned throughout the years, producing many changes in Japan. Two periods where these changes are especially pronounced are the Tokugawa and the Meiji.
Religion in the Tokugawa Period: “Formalism and Renewal”
The Tokugawa era (1600 – 1867) was a time of “formalism and renewal.” The older and more established modes of religious thought, particularly Buddhism, fell out of popular favor with the people as they began to feel tied to them more out of history and custom than by actual dedication to the faith. At the same time as the occurrence of this “formalism” in Buddhist thought, “renewal” was taking place in Confucianism and Shinto.
Neo-Confucianism helped unify Japan by providing justification for the Tokugawa government, which helped to lay the foundation for the structure of modern Japan. Japanese intellectuals who rediscovered the traditions of Confucianism in Chinese and Korean writings began to study their own country’s classics, leading them to rediscover ancient Shinto traditions as well. This “Restoration Shinto” is given credit for helping to create the environment necessary to end Tokugawa feudalism and for helping to lead Japan in the creation of itself as a more modern nation-state.
Also a part of this period of renewal were the New Religions, established in large part by founders outside of organized religion and adhered to by millions of followers, developing over time into vibrant religious forces in contemporary Japan.
A Spirit of Unrest
While a spirit of religious renewal helped define the Tokugawa period, so too did unrest among the people. The Tokugawa rulers maintained peace based on a feudalistic basis of government, and the heavy taxes levied on the peasants to support the system led to severe social and political turmoil. External forces were also a threat to Japanese stability, as the insistence upon open trade with Japan by foreign powers was steadily increasing toward the end of the period. As a result of these conditions many movements called for a renewal in social reform in Japan, and in 1868 the emperor was restored as head of state.
Religion in the Meiji Period: The Transitional Period
The Meiji period (1868 – 1912) of Japan is the dividing period between feudal Japan and modern Japan. Reforms conducted in this period were undertaken to centralize and reorganize authority in Japan along the lines of a nation-state. Governmental institutions in education, banking and modern armies and navies were established, and the shogun rulers were abolished.
Religion in the Meiji period saw a shift from state support of Buddhism to state support of Shinto as the dominant religious tradition, which makes sense given the renewed sense of nationalism at this time in Japanese history. As the foreign-influenced Buddhism was “demoted,” the more native Shinto tradition was elevated.
Buddhism wasn’t devalued as much for a perceived foreignness, however, as much as for its association to the former feudal government of the Tokugawa period. Furthermore, the leaders of the Buddhist temples of the Tokugawa period had used their position to amass wealth for themselves at a time when many people were suffering, not helping their appeal to reformers in the Meiji era.
During the Tokugawa period, Shinto had suffered under Buddhist domination and influence, to the point where high-ranking Buddhist priest many times came to control Shinto shrines. During the Meiji period, reformers sought to “purify” Shinto from Buddhist influence by replacing Buddhism altogether. Opposition made this impossible, however, and finally the necessary arrangements were made for the coexistence of the two traditions.
The religious changes that occurred in Japan during the Tokugawa and Meiji periods were tied to the political, economic and social changes also taking place during these periods in Japan. These times of “formalism” and the rejection of the old, and of “renewal” and the acceptance and pursuit of change, are common threads throughout the history of all cultures. Yet the history of Japan offers us a unique insight into the interplay of these issues through its uniquely influenced worldview.
Sources:
Earhart, H. Byron. Japanese Religion: Unity and Diversity. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2004.
Earhart, H. Byron. Religion in the Japanese Experience: Sources and Interpretations. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1997.
